2001 WINSTON CUP PROVISIONAL STATUSand OWNERS POINTS PAGE

Updated 11-21-2001

REMEMBER, OWNERS and DRIVERS points are NOT the same!!

One team that has started every race and not used a provisional in 2001(thru 11-26-2001): #24-Jeff Gordon.

Did you know? #24-Jeff Gordon has never used a provisional in his Winston Cup career, he started 40th at Talladega in 1994 when there were only two provisional spots, 41 and 42. And #88-Dale Jarrett had never used a provisional with the #88 team until Lowes Motor Speedway in May 2001.

Provisionals - Who used them at the latest race and who missed the race and why

Provisionals used at Atlanta (none used at NHIS in the final race)(starting place was determined using 2001 OWNERS points standings):

StartingPlace

Car#

Driver

OwnerStanding

ProvsUsedTeam

37

28

Ricky Rudd

2

2

38

29

Kevin Harvick

6

2

39

18

Bobby Labonte

9

2

40

36

Ken Schrader

19

6

41

25

Jerry Nadeau

20

10

42

77

Robert Pressley

25

8

43

5

Terry Labonte

26*

11

* lost an allotted provisional as the team is not in the top 25 in OWNERS points(see rules below on this).

NOTE: PE means POST ENTRY,
what it means is that a driver/owner is not eligible for any points as the race entry blank was received after the deadline

Teams that do NOT make the race are awarded OWNERS points, in order of fastest speed.
Unless qualifying is rained out or cancelled. Then the OWNERS get points by race attempts,
ties are then broken by previous OWNERS points

Provisionals Stay in 2002: NASCAR president Mike Helton said in a chat on NASCAR.com this week that the series wouldn't change its provisional system for next year. The final seven starting spots each weekend are provisionals. Helton: It is a program designed to help someone who competes every week, but is having a bad week. The evolution of that process is that we have 7 provisionals in a 43-car field. We will keep looking at it and tweaking it, but we will not change anything for the 2002 season. (11-17-2001)Some Facts: from below: #24-Jeff Gordon has never used a provisional in his Winston Cup career, he started 40th at Talladega in 1994 when there were only two provisional spots, 41 and 42. And in Nov 1997, Gordon started 37th at Atlanta but then NASCAR only used four (plus a champs) provisional. AND:
how provisionals have progressed over the past few years:
before 1994 not sure how it was handled1994 - two1995 - four1996 - four plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, it went unused)1997 - four plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)1998 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)1999 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)2000 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)2001 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)(11-18-2001)

PROVISIONALS - THE RULES

What the heck is a provisional starting spot?

A brief, simple explanation: Six provisional starting spots are available for positions 37-42. These positions are based on the current NASCAR Winston Cup Series car OWNER points. The 43rd and final starting position is available to any eligible past NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion who fails to make the field through qualifying, starting with the most recent champion. If there are no eligible past champions, the 43rd spot will be filled through current NASCAR Winston Cup Series car OWNER points, with the team highest in the OWNER points, not in the field, getting the spot.

Why does NASCAR use the provisional starting system?

The theory, from what I am told, is that it protects the teams that attempt to make all the races. It allows a team to 'have a bad day' if they fail to qualify for the race or encounter problems.

How many provisionals per race?

There are seven provisional positions and a starting field to 43 cars every race. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on OWNERS points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not OTHERWISE qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the OWNER points will be awarded a provisional. There is not a Winston West Provisional available for any of the west coast races.

before 1994 not sure how it was handled1994 - two1995 - four1996 - four plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, it went unused)1997 - four plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)1998 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)1999 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)2000 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)2001 - six plus 1 champs(if no champ used it, the next team in owners points got it)

How are provisionals awarded?

Teams are awarded a provisional spot based on the teams position in the OWNERS points. OWNERS and DRIVERS points are different. Teams that use more then one driver during a season still generate OWNERS points for the same team/owner.

Teams who have attempted ALL the Cup races get the provisional awarded first, then it goes down the order by attempts, then OWNERS points.

How are provisionals awarded at the beginning of the season?

In 2001(as in 2000), provisional starting positions 37-42 will be awarded based on OWNERS points. The 43rd spot is awarded to any Past Champion who is not otherwise eligible. If no past champion needs the provisional it falls back to the next un-qualified team in the owners points. The previous season OWNERS point standings will be used through the fourth race at Atlanta. Starting with the fifth race at Darlington the current season OWNER points standings are used to determine provisional starting spots.

New teams start out the season with ZERO provisionals until the fifth race (Darlington in 2001), UNLESS, the driver is a past WINSTON CUP champion, then the team can use the final provisional spot. The team is deducted a provisional if used in this manner.

How many provisionals are the teams allotted for the season?

Each existing team starts the season with four(4) and earns one more after their eighth(Martinsville), 16th(Sears Point), 24th(Bristol) and 32nd(NASCAR kept it at Talladega even though it was the 31st race - as NHIS postponed) attempted race. So if a team is out of provisionals going into the 8th race and they make a qualifying run, they earn a provisional and can use it in that race if their speed does not get them into the field. New teams are allotted their provisionals starting at the fifth race of the season, Darlington in 2001.

In reality, teams are not really allotted provisionals but are charged one if used, unless they are in the top 25 in OWNERS points. The rule is 'a team can use four charged provisionals starting spots in the first 7 races of the season. If a team is in the top 25, they will not be charged a provisional. So if a team was out of the top 25 in owners points and is charged all four provisionals and then gets into the top 25, that team can still use a provisional spot because it will NOT be charged

Unused provisionals in the previous year are not carried forward to the next season.

How do the OWNERS get points? How do they differ from the DRIVERS points?

All teams, who pass inspection and fail to make the race, get OWNER points based on the fastest non-qualifier to the slowest earn the position/points immediately below the last car in the field. These points will be included with those earned from the races to establish car/owner priority in gaining a provisional for the race. The driver get NO points for making an attempt, this is why OWNERS points and DRIVERS points for the same team will sometimes differ, if a driver misses a race. Points are awarded as follows: fastest who fails to qualify gets 31 points, then it goes in order: 28,25,22,19,16,13,10,7,4,1 - all remaining car owners get 1 point for the team race attempt.

Are there any restrictions using a provisional?

There is no longer a restriction to that a team has to be in Top 40 in OWNER points to be eligible to be awarded a provisional starting spot(this was changed prior to the 1998 season).

If a team is currently in the top 25 in owner points, a provisional start is awarded but a provisional is not charged against the total allowed. Only teams 26th or worse in OWNERS points will be charged a provisional. If a team stays in the top 25 all season, it can use a provisional spot for every race.

What happens if at least 43 cars attempt a race but more then one team is out of provisionals and fails to qualify for the race with still a spot open in the field?

If one or a few of the teams without provisionals fail to get in on speed, then the part time teams(don't attempt all races and are deep in the OWNERS points) get a shot at the provisionals, lining up by Owners Points. If spots are still available, then the teams without provisionals get placed in the field by fastest qualifying speed until all 43 spots are filled

What happens if qualifying gets rained out?

Provisionals are not used in case of rain.
New for 2001
If it is the first 4 races of the season and the past season OWNERS points are used then:

#1) - previous season Owner Points
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Winston Cup Champions not in by 1 and 2
#4) - Current season Owner Points
#5) - Previous Season Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker

No more by the postmark on the entry blank or qualifying order

If is past the first four races then:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Winston Cup Champions not in by 1 and 2
#4) - Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
(so if one owner has 4 qualifying attempts and one has 3 attempts but has more Owners points the owner with 4 attempts makes the race)

In the Busch series, can a CUP driver use a provisional?

If a Busch Series driver also drives in the Winston Cup Series and is 35th or higher in Cup driver points he cannot take a provisional in the Busch Series. This does not apply to former BGN champs(David Green, Bobby Labonte, Joe Nemechek, Steve Grissom, etc) or if qualifying gets rained out as no provisionals are used in that case.

NOTE: PE means POST ENTRY,
what it means is that a driver/owner is not eligible for any points as the race entry blank was received after the deadline
(not sure when that is/was).
That is why #30-Green and #84-Robinson are listed with no points at Michigan.
and #09-Geoffrey Bodine at Bristol in Aug 2001
and #13-Hermie Sadler at Dover in Sept 2001
This is taken from the Official Results provided by NASCAR. See the PE or 0 on the Drivers Points by Each Race(6-11-2001)UPDATE: Robinson and the 84 team were awarded the points in revised results, Green was not, and #02-Ryan Newman also was declared PE and does not get any Owners points(6-12/8-27-2001)

Chart updated 11/26/2001 , based on 2001 OWNERS Points

PROVISIONALS - THE CHART - OWNERS POINTS

#04-Leffler and #09-Bodine were a Post Entry which means is that a driver/owner is not eligible for any points as the race entry blank was received after the deadline